Door outside handle assembly having sliding type door lock cap

Abstract

An embodiment door outside handle assembly includes a door lock body configured to be attached to an outside of a door panel of a vehicle, a grip cover covering an outside of the door lock body and including a key hole configured to receive an emergency key, and a door lock cap on an outside of the grip cover, the door lock cap being slidable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to cover or uncover the key hole.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A door outside handle assembly comprising:
 a door lock body configured to be attached to an outside of a door panel of a vehicle; 
 a grip cover covering an outside of the door lock body and including a key hole configured to receive an emergency key, wherein the grip cover comprises a main grip cover assembled to a lower portion of the outside of the door lock body to cover the lower portion and a sub grip cover assembled to an upper portion of the main grip cover and covering an upper portion of the outside of the door lock body; 
 a door lock cap on an outside of the grip cover, the door lock cap being slidable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to cover or uncover the key hole; 
 a slot on the grip cover in a section where the key hole is provided, wherein the slot has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and 
 a locking hook on the door lock cap, the locking hook configured to be inserted into the slot and to force the door lock cap to cover the grip cover; 
 wherein the slot comprises a first slot and a second slot and the locking hook comprises a first locking hook and a second locking hook; 
 wherein the first slot is provided in an upper portion of the main grip cover and the second slot is provided in a lower portion of the main grip cover; 
 wherein the first locking hook is provided on an upper end of the door lock cap and the second locking hook is provided on a lower end of the door lock cap; and 
 wherein the first and second locking hooks prevent the door lock cap from being separated from the main grip cover regardless of the position of the door lock cap. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the door lock cap surrounds the grip cover, and upper and lower ends of the door lock cap are fitted into and fixed to the slot. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the door lock cap is configured to maintain a state where the locking hook is locked to the slot, after the locking hook slides in the slot to uncover the key hole. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the slot is in the main grip cover; and 
 the door lock cap is coupled to the main grip cover. 
 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the door lock cap contacts a bottom surface of the sub grip cover. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cap button provided on the door lock body and configured to be slidable in a direction different from a sliding direction of the door lock cap to constrain sliding of the door lock cap; and 
 a button spring provided between the door lock body and the cap button and configured to elastically support the cap button. 
 
     
     
       7. The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the direction different from the sliding direction of the door lock cap is a vertical direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a button hole provided in a lower surface of the door lock cap, wherein the button hole is configured to receive the cap button, and wherein the cap button is configured to be inserted into the button hole when the door lock cap covers the key hole. 
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the door panel is provided with a housing; and 
 the door lock body is configured to be fastened to the housing. 
 
     
     
       10. A door outside handle assembly, the assembly comprising:
 a door lock body configured to be attached to an outside of a door panel of a vehicle; 
 a grip cover covering an outside of the door lock body and including a key hole configured to receive an emergency key, wherein the grip cover comprises a main grip cover assembled to a lower portion of the outside of the door lock body to cover the lower portion and a sub grip cover assembled to an upper portion of the main grip cover and covering an upper portion of the outside of the door lock body; 
 a door lock cap on an outside of the grip cover, the door lock cap being slidable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to cover or uncover the key hole, wherein the door lock cap is slidable only in a predetermined section of the grip cover; 
 a slot on the grip cover in a section where the key hole is provided, wherein the slot has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and 
 a locking hook on the door lock cap, the locking hook configured to be inserted into the slot and to force the door lock cap to cover the grip cover; 
 wherein the slot comprises a first slot and a second slot and the locking hook comprises a first locking hook and a second locking hook; 
 wherein the first slot is provided in an upper portion of the main grip cover and the second slot is provided in a lower portion of the main grip cover; 
 wherein the first locking hook is provided on an upper end of the door lock cap and the second locking hook is provided on a lower end of the door lock cap; and 
 wherein the first and second locking hooks prevent the door lock cap from being separated from the main grip cover regardless of the position of the door lock cap. 
 
     
     
       11. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the door lock cap is configured to maintain a state where the locking hook is locked to the slot, after the locking hook slides in the slot to uncover the key hole. 
     
     
       12. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the slot is in the main grip cover; and 
 the door lock cap is coupled to the main grip cover. 
 
     
     
       13. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein an upper surface of the door lock cap contacts a bottom surface of the sub grip cover. 
     
     
       14. The assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a cap button provided on the door lock body and configured to be slidable in a direction different from a sliding direction of the door lock cap to constrain sliding of the door lock cap; and 
 a button spring provided between the door lock body and the cap button and configured to elastically support the cap button. 
 
     
     
       15. The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the direction different from the sliding direction of the door lock cap is a vertical direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       16. The assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a button hole provided in a lower surface of the door lock cap, wherein the button hole is configured to receive the cap button, and wherein the cap button is configured to be inserted into the button hole when the door lock cap covers the key hole. 
     
     
       17. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the door panel is provided with a housing; and 
 the door lock body is configured to be fastened to the housing. 
 
     
     
       18. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle body; 
 a vehicle door coupled to the vehicle body, the vehicle door comprising a door panel; 
 a door lock body attached to an outer surface of the door panel; 
 a grip cover covering an outside of the door lock body and including a key hole configured to receive an emergency key, wherein the grip cover comprises a main grip cover assembled to a lower portion of the outside of the door lock body to cover the lower portion and a sub grip cover assembled to an upper portion of the main grip cover and covering an upper portion of the outside of the door lock body; 
 a door lock cap on an outside of the grip cover, the door lock cap being slidable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to cover or uncover the key hole; 
 a slot on the grip cover in a section where the key hole is provided, wherein the slot has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and 
 a locking hook on the door lock cap, the locking hook configured to be inserted into the slot and to force the door lock cap to cover the grip cover; 
 wherein the slot comprises a first slot and a second slot and the locking hook comprises a first locking hook and a second locking hook; 
 wherein the first slot is provided in an upper portion of the main grip cover and the second slot is provided in a lower portion of the main grip cover; 
 wherein the first locking hook is provided on an upper end of the door lock cap and the second locking hook is provided on a lower end of the door lock cap; and 
 wherein the first and second locking hooks prevent the door lock cap from being separated from the main grip cover regardless of the position of the door lock cap. 
 
     
     
       19. The vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein the door lock cap surrounds the grip cover, and upper and lower ends of the door lock cap are fitted into and fixed to the slot.